Globe-clock with single bearing



n 1970 A. B. HAZARD 3,516,243

GLOBE-CLOCK WITH SINGLE BEARING Filed July 17, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

FIGURE 1 75 I June 23, 1970 Filed July 17, 1969 A. B. HAZARD GLOBE-CLOCK wrm swam: BEARING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r 7 j 721 4 6 L "I I I FIGURE 3 H CL 90 fig ||b INVENTOR.

.June 23, 1970 A. HAZARD 3,516,243

GLOBE-CLOCK WITH SINGLE BEARING- I Filed July 17, '1969 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGURE 6 United States Patent,

3,516,243 GLOBE-CLOCK WITH SINGLE BEARING Allyn B. Hazard, 330 Camiuo Del Sol, South Pasadena, Calif. 91030 Filed July 17, 1969, Ser. No. 842,578 Int. Cl. G04b 19/22 US. C]. 58-44 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A globe-clock of the type which is comprised of a translucent globe rotatably mounted on a base, illuminated from the interior, and slowly rotated by a clock motor; an internal hemispherical shadow shield gives the globe the appearance of the continuously changing night and day hemispheres of the terrestrial day. In the globe-clock of the present invention, the globe rotates on a single, elongated sleeve-bearing, which extends into the interior of the globe from its lower polar opening. The sleeve-bearing rotates on a stationary support tube extending upwardly from the base of the globe-clock, through said sleeve-bearing, into the lower interior of the globe. The support tube supports a stationary platform in the interior of the globe, upon which both illumination means and clock motor are mounted; this construction makes it possible to impart the necessarily slow clock movement to the globe through the medium of a relatively large diameter ring gear disposed on the outer surface of the aforementioned sleeve-bearing. The interior of the support tube accommodates a polar column, which in turn carries a stationary upper polar cap, and a light shield internal of said globe, as well as means for adjusting the latter, without in any way interfering with the continuous rotation of the globe.

The present invention relates to a new and approved construction for globe-clocks. Like previously known globe-clocks, the present invention includes a translucent globe rotatably mounted on a base, and driven by a clock motor to rotate slowly, usually one revolution per day in simulation of rotation of the earth. Like many prior globeclocks, the present invention provides for illuminating the globe from the interior by means of an electric light, and also provides an internal hemispherical light shield which projects an internal shadow corresponding to the night hemisphere. However, whereas globe-clocks of the past have employed a pair of small-diameter bearings, usually located at the lower and upper poles, respectively, while at the same time producing the necessarily slow clock movement by employment of a driven ring gear of much larger diameter than the aforementioned bearings, the present invention provides the globe with rotational mounting by means of only a single relatively large diameter sleeve-bearing, extending internally of the globe from its lower polar opening; because of the relatively large diameter of the sleeve-bearing, a ring gear disposed on the external surface of the sleeve-bearing provides the speed reduction needed for the rotation of the globe by means of a clock motor supported in the interior of the globe.

Globe-clocks are considered by far the most interesting and educational form of terrestial globes, by all who have seen them. Unfortunately, although many designs have been proposed, and several manufactured on a small scale,

globe-clocks heretofore known have been costly to assemble, complex and delicate to repair, and vulnerable to malfunction or complete breakdown.

The clock drives of previously known designs have required substantial labor and skill to construct, were fragile in use, and repairable only by a skilled clockmaker.

Some of the more expensive globe-clocks previously known have been quite satisfactor from the standpoint of rugged and reliable rotational mounting; they have generally employed a pair of bearings, located at upper and lower polar openings in the globe, and carried on a stationary polar shaft. Unfortunately, such construction makes it difficult to disassemble the globe for ready access to its interior. Also, such construction has generally required that the clock motor be located in the supporting base, rather than in the interior of the globe where it would be relatively inaccessible. With the clock drive in the interior of the globe then the base is less bulky.

Almost all globe-clocks of the past have relied on some relatively expensive, complex, and fragile transmission of clock drive from a clock motor in the base to the rotating globe.

Associated with the already mentioned complex and expensive constructions known in the past, have been severe limitations on adjustment of the shadow shield mounted inside of the globe to simulate the night hemisphere. It is necessary to make a slight adjustment in the position of the shadow shield from month to month, throughout the year, in order to approximate the seasonal changes in the suns declination. Heretofore, only very crude seasonal adjustments of this type have been possible except in the most expensive and elegant globe-clocks.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a globe-clock which can be manufactured at very low cost, but which overcomes all the major difliculties of previously known globe-clocks as above mentioned.

In the first place, the globe-clock of the present invention makes it possible to rotatably mount the globe on a single sleeve-bearing which is much larger and stronger, and more rigid, than any construction possible in previously known globe-clock designs.

The same large diameter sleeve-bearing which provides rotational mounting for the globe, also provides the speed reduction gear of large diameter required in a globe-clock; however, it provides it as an inexpensive external annular ring, integral with this sleeve-bearing, and entirely exposed in the interior of the globe where it can be quickly and easily assembled to the driving clock motor by unskilled labor and also Where it is readily accessible for repair, if that becomes necessary. The use of a single sleevebearing at the lower polar opening of the globe makes it unnecessary to provide any bearings at the upper polar opening. Consequently, the globe may be made of an assembly of upper and lower hemispheres, with the upper hemisphere easily removable to provide quick and convenient access to the interior of the globe. Such construction makes it practical to locate the clock motor in the interior of the globe, rather than inside of the supporting base; and it makes it easy to remove the upper hemisphere for replacing the light bulb or the clock motor inside of the globe.

The foregoing and many other advantages of the invention will best be understood from the following description of one preferred specific embodiment, which description should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a globe-clock constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the globe-clock of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, but with a substantial part of the globe broken away in order to reveal, in perspective, the internal construction of the globe-clock; also part of the base is broken away and eliminated for purposes of compact illustration;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, sectional detailed view of the single bearing upon which the globe is mounted, and adjacent parts of the globe-clock, shown partly broken away to reveal internal construction, the sectional view of FIG. 4 being taken at a vertical plane through the polar axis of the globe-clock as indicated in FIG. 3 by the line 44;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the stationary supporting tube, and upon which the globe-clock is rotationally mounted, the sectional view of FIG. 5 being viewed at a horizontal plane indicated in FIG. 4 by the line 5-5;

FIG. 6 is a detail view taken at a horizontal sectional plane indicated by the line 6-6, FIG. 3, showing the manner in which there is mounted on the polar column of the globe-clock a boom for supporting an internal shadow shield; and

FIG. 7 is a detail view of the analemma opening on the front of the base of the globe-clock, which makes possible seasonal adjustment of the shadow shield to simulate the declination of the sun.

In FIG. 1, a globe-clock is indicated generally by the numeral 10. In outward appearance, it resembles previously known globe-clocks with electrical internal illumination and an electrical clock motor. A globe 11 is preferably a translucent plastic with the mapof the world represented on its surface in colored inks or paint. The globe 11 is supported above the base '12 on a support tube 13, which is inclined slightly from the vertical.

An electric line cord 14 is provided for connection to a source of electrical power, typically IlO-volt alternating current. The base 12 is also provided with a push button switch 15 for turning the electrical power on or off within the globe clock 10. The switch turns only the light bulb ON or OFF, the clock motor is always ON.

FIG. 1 and the plan view, FIG. 2, show that at the upper polar region of globe '11, corresponding to the earths north pole, is a stationary, upper polar cap 16, which is removably attached to the upper end of a stationary polar column 17 by a nut 18. There is a slight clearance between the globe 11 and the underside of cap 16 to permit globe 1'1 to rotate freely while cap 16 remains stationary.

Attached to polar column 17, under nut 18, is a curved time pointer 19, which is suspended over the surface of globe 11, with its pointer 20 at the equator 21. It will be understood that time pointer 19 remains stationary while globe 11 is slowly rotated (one revolution per day) as described hereinafter, time being indicated by the numerals 22 spaced along the equator 21.

It will also be noted from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the upper surface of cap 16 is provided with a number of small upwardly projecting studs 23. Time pointer 19 may be moved to a position between any pair of studs 23, so as to indicate time corresponding to a particular time zone of the United States. It will be understood that upper polar cap 16 could be manufactured with the time zone studs 23 located in positions corresponding to time zones in Europe or Asia, if the globe-clock were to be marketed for use in those regions, or instead when the numbers 22 are printed they could be shifted the appropriate number of time zones in the proper direction.

A person observing globe-clock 10 in operation will see globe 11 slowly rotate, while support tube 13 remains stationary with base '12, and upper polar cap 16, and its associated parts polar column 17, nut 18, and time pointer 19 likewise remain stationary.

FIG. 3 reveals the interior of globe 11, and it will be observed that all the principal working parts of the globe-clock 10 are housed inside of glo'be 11, and not in base 12, with many advantages in low cost of manufacture, and ready accessibility for easy repair. Comparing FIG. 3 with the vertical sectional detail view of FIG. 4, one sees that support tube 13 is externally threaded at its lower end and rigidly mounted in a hole 14 in the upper surface of base 12 by means of a pair of nuts 25 and 26.

FIGS. 3 and 4 also reveal that the globe 11 has a lower polar opening 30, and that projecting internally and coaxial with the pole of rotation of the globe 11 is an elongated sleeve-bearing 31, integral with the lower half of globe 11 and closely received in rotatable bearing relationship on the outer surface of support tube 13.

In FIG. 4 it will be seen that globe 11 is supported at the proper elevation on support tube- 13 by means of an antifriction bearing ring 32, which is in turn supported in place by a retaining ring 33 received in annular groove 34 support tube 13.

At its upper end, sleeve-bearing 31 carries a coaxial ring gear 35, which functions as the usual speed-reducing gear of large diameter generally required in globe-clocks, all as will be described hereinafter.

Above sleeve-bearing 31 and ring gear 35, the upper end of support tube 13 extends to an elevation below equator 21, but substantially nearer to it than to polar opening 30. The upper end of support tube 13 is surmounted by a platform 40, fastened into place by nuts 41 and 42 received on the threaded upper end 43 of support tube 13.

Also as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the polar column 17 is seen to be fixedly mounted by a transverse pin 50 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) within the interior of support tube 13, extending from the upper threaded end 43 thereof and out through an upper polar opening 51, which has been revealed by removing polar cap 16, time pointer 19, and nut 18 from the upper end of polar column 17.

The cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 reveals a preferred construction for support tube 13. It is seen that support tube 13 is provided with a longitudinal web 55, and internal shoulders 56 and 57, for firmly locating and holding polar column 17.

Platform 40 supports electric clock motor 61 and light bulb socket 62, holding light bulb 63, in the central interior of globe 11. With suitable diffusion of light from bulb 63, it is of no importance that it is located somewhat to one side of the polar axis of globe 11. With respect to the side location of clock motor 61, however, this is a much preferred feature because of the simple gear construction thereby made possible. It will be seen that clock motor 61 is provided with a relatively small diameter drive gear 64, rotated by the motor 61 through offset vertical shaft 65. The drive gear 64 in turn drives the ring gear 35 which encircles the upper exterior end of sleeve-bearing '31, as previously described. A slip clutch, which is integral to the clock motor 61, eliminates possibility of damage to gears 35 and 64 if globe 11 should be rotated by hand. The clutch permits the globe to be synchronized quickly.

Motor 61 and light bulb socket 62 are each provided with their separate wiring 61a and 62a, respectively, which leads down through the interior of support column 13 as seen in the views of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. From there the light bulb wires 62a lead to switch 15 in the conventional connection manner.

It should be explained that preferred construction for glove 11 is in the form of upper and lower halves 11a and 11b, respectively, lower half 11b being permanently assembled into position when platform 40 is fastened in place, but upper half 11a being readily removable by the removal of nut 18, cap 16, and time pointer 19. It will therefore be apparent that any person of reasonable intelligence, even a child, does not have to possess any specialized skill or knowledge to remove upper half 11a and replace bulb 63, or motor 61, or to make simple mechanical repairs, or electrical reconnections readily accessible in the spacious interior of the globe 1-1, and fully exposed to view by the removal of upper hemisphere 11a. In this connection, it should be noted that there is no north pole bearing at upper polar opening 51, to interfere with easy removal and replacement of upper globe half of hemisphere 11a.

As seen in FIG. 3, the representation of night and day is achieved by means of a hemispherical shadow shield 70, supported within the interior of globe 11, without interfering with the latters rotation, at the end of a boom 71, which latter is mounted on polar column 17 by means of a pivot pin 72. The fragmentary detail of FIG. 6, showing polar column 17 in section, reveals that boom 71 has a relatively large central opening 73, so that it is free to be shifted slightly in angle, and axially of pin 72, to permit limited adjustment of the position of shadow shield 70 to correspond with seasonal declination of the sun. This adjustment is made manually about once a month, by means of declination adjustment rod 80, which is connected to boom 71 at 81, at its upper end, and extends down through the interior of support tube 13, as seen in FIG. 5, and then at a right angle, as seen in FIG. 4, through the analemna opening 75 in the front of the base 12. Once a month, the user of globeclock moves declination rod 80 by handle 82 to the appropriate monthly position as seen in FIG. 7. Shadow shield 70 is mounted to be frictionally movable to any of the desired positions, and to retain the position to which it is moved by combining a certain amount of frictional resistance at pin 72, utilizing a counter-balancing spring 86 between boom 71 and hook 87 in the upper part of polar column 17, and also by the spring bias construction of declination rod 80, according to spring bias principles well known to those familiar with spring construction.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides a very rugged and yet low cost construction for a globe-clock, capable of even more refined performance than many expensive designs heretofore known. Many additional features are incorporated in the preferred embodiment illustrated. For example, one may use the circular chart printed on the upper surface of upper polar cap 16 to find the local time any place in the world. One would simple lift the upper end of the time pointer 19 clearing the time zone studs 23, and relocate the time pointer to line it up with the longitude desired.

Also, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, the end of boom 71, opposite to that upon which the shadow shield 70 is mounted, is provided with a zenith marker 90 indicating the point on the earth where the sun is directly overhead at the particular instant. Marker 90 could be opaque to create a shadow mark or a lens to create a bright spot.

I claim:

1. A globe-clock which includes:

a base;

a globe disposed above said base, said globe being comprised of readily separable upper and lower hemispheres disposed coaxially with a polar axis, said globe having upper and lower polar openings at each end of said polar axis;

a support tube coaxial with said polar axis, fixedly mounted in said base, and projecting upwardly through said lower polar opening into the interior or said lower hemisphere;

a sleeve-bearing rotatably carried on said support tube, said sleeve-bearing being integral with said lower hemisphere and coaxial with its lower polar opening, and said sleeve-bearing having an upper end projecting into the interior of said lower hemisphere, but terminating below the upper end of said support tube;

a platform supported in the interior of said globe by the upper end of said support tube;

a motor on said platform, said motor including driving gear positioned to rotate adjacent the exterior of the upper part of said sleeve-bearing;

a ring gear integral with the exterior of said sleevebearing, said ring gear being in driven engagement with said driving gear of said motor; and

means for delivering power to said motor.

2. A globe-clock as described in claim 1 which includes:

construction of said globe from translucentmaterial, with the outer surface representing the surface of the earth, and the mating line between said upper and lower hemispheres defining the earths equator;

a stationary polar column mounted in the interior of said support tube and extending from the upper end of said support tube into the upper interior of said globe;

a shadow shield disposed inside said globe at one side of said platform, and shaped to project on the interior surface of said globe a hemispherical shadow corresponding to the night hemisphere of the earth;

a boom pivotally mounted on said polar column, said boom providing at one end for the support of said shadow shield within said globe;

a declination adjustment rod longitudinally disposed in said support tube, and movable therein within a limited range, said rod having its upper end pivotally connected to said boom, and having its lower end provided with a handle projecting from said base and said base having walls defining an analemma opening, for said handle, to permit seasonal declination adjustment of said shadow shield by adjustment of said boom, controlled externally of said globe-clock by said declination adjustment rod; and

illumination means on said platform for illuminating said translucent globe from the interior, and projecting, by means of said shadow shield, a night hemisphere shadow on the interior surface of said globe.

3. A globe-clock as described in claim 2 in which electrical power is supplied to said motor and said illumination means from outside of said globe-clock through electrical conductors passing upwardly from said base through said support tube, and out the upper end of said support tube to said motor and said illumination means on said platform.

4. A globe-clock as described in claim 2 which includes:

construction of said polar column with its upper end projecting upwardly through said upper polar opena;

a stationary polar cap removably mounted on the externally projecting upper end of said polar column, above said upper polar opening of said globe;

a time pointer assembled to said polar cap, and having a pointer end extending exterior of said globe, without contacting the surface thereof, to the equator of said globe; and

time indicating numerals disposed along the equator of said globe to indicate clock time as said globe rotates under said time pointer.

5. A globe-clock as described in claim 4, in which said time pointer is adjustably movable with respect to said upper polar cap, and said upper polar cap is provided with circumferential indications of the worlds time zones, and locating means for precisely positioning said time pointer at at least some of said time zones.

6. A globe-clock as described in claim 2 which includes resilient spring means between said boom and said polar column for yieldably retaining said shadow shield in declination position in cooperation with said declination adjustment rod.

7. A globe-clock as described in claim 2 in which a relatively small shield is disposed axially opposite said shadow shield, adjacent the interior surface of said globe, to project on said interior surface a shadow spot indicating the sun zenith position, and meansfor supporting 5 said shield on said boom.

8. A globe-clock as described in claim 4 in which said motor operates at a speed, such that in cooperation with said suspended drive gear and said ring gear, said globe is rotated at the rate of one rotation per day, and said stationary time pointer indicates at the equator of said globe the clock time of the time zone for which said time pointer is positioned on said polar cap.

7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,785,528 3/1957 Kernick 5844 3,370,4 15 2/1968 McIlvaine 5844 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner E. C.- SIMMONS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. ss 4 

